8.1 million Brits at risk of shock Easter roaming charges

With 8.1 million Brits planning to travel abroad this Easter[1], comparison and switching service Uswitch is warning people to beware of hidden charges that could sting you for up to £6 for every 1MB of roaming data[5].

Post Brexit, many EU-mandated rules, such as a worldwide data roaming cap of £45, have fallen away, leaving millions of mobile customers unknowingly unprotected. 

One in three Brits (32%) say they’ve been stung before, and around one quarter of Brits (23%) – equivalent to 5.1 million – are planning to visit higher-cost roaming destinations in 2024, which includes countries such as Egypt, South Africa and Mexico[6]. 

Most providers continue to align their customer policies with the original rules, such as the £45 data cap, although this is now down to provider discretion, with many providers now suggesting customers set their own spend caps.

However, customers may find themselves inadvertently ‘opted out’ of their provider’s spend cap if they make any additional terms and condition linked purchases, such as through buying a data pass.

For customers that are signed up to providers with no data roaming cap in place (or have opted to remove their provider’s existing cap themselves), they could easily find themselves with a large bill very quickly. For example, a customer visiting China, using 1GB of data per day could see a shocking bill of around £43,008 over seven days[3].

Ofcom recently announced plans to bring new roaming protections in for consumers, though these will not come into force until October 2024, after the peak Easter and summer travel season[7]. The protections require mobile providers to notify customers when they start roaming, and provide them with clearer information. 

With the current rules, it has never been more important for consumers to check their provider’s roaming policy for their destination, and take action if needed.

Lost without our phones: Brits rank how they use mobiles on holiday in minutes per day

Data usage while on holiday can build up quickly. To put this into context, 1MB is equivalent to streaming on the Netflix app for around 14.4 seconds[8].

When it comes to phone use abroad, social media scrolling tops the list of the most time-consuming use of data, with Brits spending an average of just over an hour per day - or almost eight hours of a one-week holiday - thumbing through social channels. 

Messaging and maps are also holiday essentials that Brits are using frequently (for more than 50 minutes per day).

Lack of awareness of ‘fair usage’ policies

While almost two thirds (61%) of Brits make sure to check their network’s roaming policy before they travel, 66% of roaming customers are not fully aware of what their network’s fair usage policy is[2].

A fair usage policy is a set of measures that the mobile providers can apply to their customers for preventing ‘abuse’ (or overuse) of their network, particularly whilst using their data abroad. For those travelling abroad, any data amount used over the fair usage will trigger a special charge rate.

The fair usage amount is often lower than a customer may get at home - which could leave phone users caught out with unexpected costs, even if they believe the destination is covered within their policy.

For example, Three’s £25 per month SIM deal advertises unlimited data. However, you can only use up to 12GB of your data allowance with the provider’s ‘Go Roam’ travel deal when in the EU. Any usage over this fair use limit but within your allowance is subject to a surcharge[9]. Three customers do have the option of applying their own bill cap, however, so they can control their maximum bill sum.

Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com shares advice for travellers planning to use their phone abroad:

“From navigating to booking mini expeditions, using your phone abroad has become just as essential as packing your toothbrush for most travellers. But nobody wants to find themselves unexpectedly cut off, or hit by a hefty holiday-ruining bill.

“Consumer protections around mobile roaming whilst abroad have been eroded away over time, including the £45 worldwide data roaming cap. So, those travelling abroad this Easter should make sure they check their provider’s roaming policy, as well as their own personal usage and data allowances before travelling.

“While Uswitch supports Ofcom’s recent announcement of improved protections around clarity, there is still virtually nothing to stop providers from charging enormous sums when you use your phone abroad.

“Customers travelling in the peak Easter and summer seasons should pay special attention, as the new rules won’t be in place until October.

“Even if you and somebody else you know are with the same network, your individual roaming deal or fair usage allowance could be different to theirs. This all depends on what contract you have, so we would always recommend checking your tariff.

“There are some great deals around, so if you are looking into paying for an additional ‘bundle’ from your network provider, it’s worth looking into a short-term SIM or travel eSIM as a cheaper option.

“If in doubt, contact your provider to talk about roaming caps and what your current deal will allow you to use as well as how much this will cost.”

END

How to avoid hefty holiday roaming bills

Keep it SIM-ple: If you’re with a provider that has roaming charges, it’s worth considering buying a one-month SIM-only or eSIM deal that will cover you for your time away. Lebara, which runs off the Vodafone network, offers a Uswitch-exclusive 5GB monthly SIM-only contract for £4.95, which comes with free roaming in the EU and India.

Know before you go: Always check the roaming and Fair Usage policies of your specific deal – remember they can vary even with the same provider. Check Uswitch’s global roaming costs map here to see how much using your data abroad could cost.

Check the cap fits: Even if you are paying for a bundle to roam abroad, you may not have the same data allowances as you do in the UK. Check your provider’s fair usage policy, which will govern how much data you can use before you incur extra charges. You can also set up a spend cap with your provider to avoid any surprise bills when you return.

Switch off voicemail: When overseas, you can expect to pay the same per-minute rate for checking your messages as you do for making calls. Yet sometimes even receiving a voicemail on holiday can cost you. If your provider includes this charge, call them before you travel and get it switched off.

Wi-Fi wins: To save your data allowance, use hotel and cafe Wi-Fi connections whenever possible. You can also enable Wi-Fi calling or use services such as Whatsapp to make audio calls without using your minutes. Make sure access points are safe and secure before logging on and avoid activities like online banking on public networks.

Take care with data passes: If you choose to purchase a data, call or text top-up day pass with your provider, remember to check the terms and conditions carefully. These may have an expiration time of midnight UK time, which could leave you caught out depending on your time zone. It is also worth remembering that once you opt into a paid-for pass, you also may be automatically opted out of your provider spending cap.

If in doubt, engage flight mode: Flight mode is not just for when you’re up in the air - although it will stop any chance of connecting to other networks while flying across the countries. Activating it on holiday, particularly in destinations with high fees on calls, texts and data, can help control your usage and save you from unexpected costs.

Chris Thomas

PR Contractor

v-chris.thomas@rvu.co.uk

Notes to editors

Opinium surveyed a sample of 2,000 UK adults from 15 March 2024 – 19 March 2024.

About Uswitch 

Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles. 

More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.

Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings. 

Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.